Pakistan’s QR Payment Merchants Rise 245% to 3.8 Million

Pakistan’s QR-enabled merchant network expanded to approximately 3.8 million during fiscal year 2025–26, compared with 1.1 million a year earlier, according to State Bank of Pakistan data.

The rounded figures represent growth of approximately 245%, taking the network to nearly three and a half times its previous size.

Transactions Reach Rs 1.6 Trillion

QR-enabled merchants processed 297 million transactions worth approximately Rs 1.6 trillion during FY26.

In FY25, QR transactions exceeded 86 million, with a combined value of Rs 234 billion. The latest figures show substantial increases in both payment frequency and the amount transferred.

Merchant growth measures the expansion of QR payment acceptance. It does not, by itself, establish how frequently every registered merchant uses the service.

Government Subsidy Supported Adoption

The government allocated Rs 3.5 billion to support eligible Raast person-to-merchant QR transactions under its cashless economy initiative.

The scheme covered transactions conducted between September 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

Eligible transactions qualified for a subsidy of 0.5% of their value, capped at Rs 100 per transaction. This support was shared equally between the merchant’s financial institution and the customer’s financial institution.

The subsidy was therefore directed to participating financial institutions, rather than being an automatic cashback payment to customers.

Wider Acceptance of Digital Payments

The expansion gives customers more opportunities to pay digitally at participating businesses.

For merchants, QR acceptance adds another way to collect payments alongside existing methods. The FY26 results indicate a wider acceptance network and increased transaction activity, while sustained use will determine how that growth translates into everyday payment habits.